Sheet-metal container



F. K. FlLDEs 1,802,417

SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed oct. 2s, 1930 s sheets-sheet 1 April 28, 1931.

W M ooo v o cow 4W ooo wv# muy .ITll I l .d llww j w m d willlll lwrll llllll. H llllllll lllPl ullllllllllllllll ulll llll mllll lll l l l l llllll l l l l l l@ -i l l.l wwwf f y f April 28, 1931- F. K. FILDES SHEET METAL CONTAINER Filed OctA 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 28, 1931. F, K, FILDES 1,802,417

' SHEET METAL CONTAINER l Filed oct. 28, 1930 s sheets-sheet 3 Fatentedl pr. 28 1931v PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK K. FILDES, F ALTOONA., PENNSYLVANIA.

SHEET-METAL CONTAINER Application-med October 28 1930. Serial No. 491,790.

rihis invention relates to sheet metal containers of the lndrused on railway' cars and automobile trucks forthe shipment of fractional car load lots of goods and merchandise.

Containers of this character are used in the open, being carried in exposed positions on dat bottom freight cars and trucks, a plurality of the containeis spaced side by side forming w av car or. truck load. The containers, therefore, are subjected to all kinds of weather and are also at times easily accessible to unauthorized persons. lt is essential, therefore, that the container he weatherproof and, that its l5 door locking mechanism be effective. Moreover, the door opening of the container should be high and wide to facilitate loadin and unloading and to adapt the container or carrying large articles, but the door should be capable of being swung open and closed within t a relatively narrow space, since it is often desirable to open the container when the space provide for swinging the door outwardly is very limited, as, for example', when the container is on a car standing` alongside a loadin. platform, or when the oar is alongside anot er car on an adjacent track.

The present invention thereforehas for its object to` provide a container having a wide 3@ door opening and a door therefor composed of two leaves hinged respectively to the sides of the door iframe, each leaf consisting of a plurality oi sections oldable on axes parallel y to the hinge axes, so that the door can be swung open in a relatively narrow space; to A provide simple but edective locking mechani'sm for the door; to provide simple and ecient water-prooi packing between .the edges of the door leaves and the door frame and between the meeting edges of the leaf sections ;-to provide a door made of foldable sections'in which the sections are of 'hollow sheet metal construction presenting a plane smooth inner-siirface with no projecting parts likely te canse damage to goeds housed by the container and locking mechanism for the sections completely housed therein; and to 'provide other improvements in containers of this type, as wili hereinafter appear.`

In the accompanying drawin s:

Figul is a front elevation o a door embodylng the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section takenon line 2-2 of Fig. 1;-

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on line 3-3ofFig.1;

'Figs 4, 5 and 6 are horizontal detail sections taken on the corresponding lines of Fig. 1; i

Fig.

Fig. 2;

ig. 8 is a horizontal section through the lock operating lever taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views illustrating a locking bolt and the method of'mounting and operating the same.

The contamer, only fragments of which are shown, is formed with a wide door open- 70? in g in one or, preferably, both sides and with a hinged double door closing this opening. According to the present invention, this door consists of two leaves secured by 7 is a vertical section on line 7.-7 of hinges 10 to vertical angle bars 11 which form 75- v the sides of the door frame. Each leaf comprises a pair of sections, A, B, A', B con# nected by hin es 12 so that the sections of a pair can be olded to lie with their outer faces o posed. Hinges 10v are preferably 30- double inges, consisting of'two leaves *secured respectively to the frame and the door section and an' intermediate orlink, member pivoted to the leaves by pintlesl and 14.

It will be observed that sections A', Aare 85 somewhat narrower than sections B, B', so that when the former are turned'to lie against the faces of the latter, the free edges of the former will lie slightl to the inside the" axes of pintles 13 and t e latter can then be mi turned about the axes of the pintles to bring the inner faces of sections A, A 'substantially flush against the side of the container, leaving a clear opening between the frame bars 11 with no parts of the door projecting therein to interfere with the loading and dis- Vcharge of the container.

The door sections are of hollow sheet metal i. construction. Each section is built up yof an inner one-piece member of vertically elonmo gated shallow trough-like form having a plane body 16, sides and ends 17 bent at right angles to the bodj,lv and a bordering flange 18 in a plane parallel to the body, and an outer one-piece sheet 19 disposed over flange 18 and having its edges bent around and overlapping the same. Outer sheet 19 is cut away and bent to form upper and lower sunken portions, or panels, 20 and 21, the side and end walls 22 of which are respectively parallel toV and spacedfrom the sides and ends 17 of the inner member, these walls termi- Dating in right angular flanges 23 which rest flat against the body 16 of the inner member and are secured thereto by welding.

` One of the objects of the invention is the provision of simple and effective means for rendering the door weather-proof. `The means for attaining this object comprises soft rubber strips folded longitudinally 'and having overlapped edges secured to the edges of the door sections and adapted when the door is closed'to press against rigid abutments on opposing sections and on the door frame. Thus Fig. 3, which is a vertical section through the upper edge of section B and the adjacent top portion of the container, shows a rubber strip 23 longitudinally folded and having overlapping edges secured between a backing strlp 24 and the flange of the door section by means of screws 25. Due to the resiliency of the rubber, the free portion of this strip is substantially cylindrical `when not under pressure, but when the door is closed the strip is pressed between the flange of the door section and the edge of a plate 26 which is secured to the angle bar 27 of the door frame, causing the strip to be flattened and pressed against the plate along a wide contact area. Strip 23 extends the 4 full width of the door section and since each Section is provided with one. of these strips and the edges of adjacent sections abut when the door is closed, the construction provides a substantially continuous water tight joint between the top of the door and the door frame.

A similar joint is provided between the edges of adjacent sections. Fig. 6 illustrates the joint between sections A and B, it being understood that a joint of identical construction is provided between the sections A and B. As in the construction already described, the joint comprises a soft rubber strip 23 foldedfover longitudinally and having its overlapped edges secured to a flange of the door section. In this case, the flange is at the side of section B and the overlapped edges of the strip are secured thereto by a backin strip 24 and screws 25 which pass throug the fiange, overlapped edges and backing stri En this construction the backing strip 24 is longitudinally bent inwardly away from the flange to form a flaring space to which the rubber strip is forced to conform when pressed against a rigid abutment on the adjacent flange of section A', thereby effecting a wider contact surface between the abutment and rubber strip than would be the case were the back strip simply a narrow flat strip. The abutment referred to consists of the flange 29 of an angle bar secured by rivets 30 to the flange of door section A.

Fig. 5 'shows a section through door section B and the side bar 11 of the door frame, illustrating the joint between these parts. It will be seen that the flange of section B carries a rubber strip 23 secured thereto by a backing strip 24" and screws 25, the construction in this respect being substantiallyr identical with that shown in Fig. 6. The strip 23, it will be observed, is adapted to be pressed against the frame bar 11 along a wide contact surface when the section B is in closed position. It will be understood of course that an exactly similar joint will be provided between the edge of section B and the other frame bar 11.

The meeting edges of sections A and A are provided with a water-tight joint of the construction'shown in Fig. 4, which shows the joint in horizontal section. As illustrated the overlapped edges of rubber strip 23 are secured between the flange of section A and a backing strip 24 by screws 25 and the strip is adapted to be compressed between this backing strip and the fiange 31 of an angle bar riveted to the flange of section A. As the free edges of sections A and A move in almost parallel directions when approaching closed position, the ange 31 is substantially parallel to the inwardly bent portion 24" of the backing strip when they door is closed, thus eecting a maximum contact surface between the rubber strip, the flange 31 and the backing strip.

From the foregoing it will be clear that the invention effects a sheet metal door construction in which all joints are rendered water tight by a very simple and inexpensive construction, that is, all joints through which there is a possibility of leakage. The joint between the bottom edge of the door and the door sill is not required to be strictly watertight as there is no tendency to leakage therethrough, it being observed that the container is always in upright position. A

Locking mechanism is preferably provided for each of the door sections `and this mecha nism'nis so constructed and arranged that it is firstnecessary to unlock and open onel of the center sections before it is possible to unlock the remaining sections. Thus, the sections B, B and A carry bolts 32, one, at the top and one at the bottom. These bolts are mounted for vertical reciprocation in guides secured in the hollow sections. The bolts carried by sections B and B are mounted in spaced guides 33 and 34. The guides 33 are specially formed to provide reinforcements these rivetsalso passing through the hinge leaf. A similar. reinforcing member is secured in the hollow sections opposite each leaf of the hinges, although of course where vthere are no bolts these members will notbe provided with guiding apertures. Guide 34 has a vertical flange riveted to the inner wall Youter ends which project through the end walls of the door sections and are adapted to Y enter sockets, or apertures in the top and bottom frame bars. These bolts 32 are adapted to be manipulated by handles 37 projecting laterally through B slots 38 formed in the walls 17. It will be observed that these slots provide horizontal seats-39 and 39 for han- -dles 37. Thus when a lower-bolt is down in locked position handle 37 occupies the position shown in full lines, Fig. 10 and the abutment or seat 39 tends to prevent it from being jarred upwardly out of locking position. When it is desired to unlock the bolt, handle 37 is turned to the left, Fig. 10, then raised through the narrow portion of the slot and turned to the right and allowed to seat on abutment 39. It will be observed that all of the bolts 32 are accessible only from the inside of the container, so that in order to unlock these bolts, which are carried on all of the sections, except section A, it is first necessary to o en the latter section.

Section ,therefore, is rovided with locking mechanism o erable om the outside of the container. his mechanism comprises upper and lower bolts 4() mounted for reciprocation in spaced guides 41 and 42 which are Asecured between the inner and outer walls 16 and 19.` Bolts 40 are pivoted to links 43 which in turn are pivoted to a rotatable member 44 comprising spaced discs carrying diametrical pins on which the links are pivoted. These discs are provided with a stem 45 which rojects through the wallof the door section,

eing rotatable in a horizontal bearing formed in a reinforcing plate 46 riveted to the outside of the door section. Secured to the outer end of stem 45 is an arm 47 and hinged to this arm at 49 is a hasp 48 which is bent as shown in Fig. .8 to lie within the door panel and is slotted to receive a staple member 50 riveted on section A. The staple member 50 is formed with two apertures adapted respectively to receive a padlock bolt 51 anda seal.

The construction above described provides a sectional folding door in which the 'sections are of hollow sheet metal construction in which the locking bolts are completely housed. The door when in closed position presents a smooth plane inner face interrupted by narrow vertical inwardly opening pockets where the ianged edges of the sections abut each other and the side frame bars.k The flanged edges of the sections carry packing means disposed in these pockets and the handles for operating bolts 32 also extend therein where the are out of the way of the lading, as these oc etsare so narrow that there is no possibility of any part of the lading entering them. This yfeature of the invention is important as it precludes the possibility of damaging valuable mechandise by sharp edges or projections of the door and its operating and locking mechanism. The present construction also provides a very simple and effective door locking and operating mechanism as well as an efficient and inexpensive packin for rendering the door weatherproof, as Will` e obvious from the foregoing description.

Now having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. A sheet metal container ofthe kind described having a side door opening dened by metal bars forming the door frame, a

double door composed of two leaves hinged to.

the sides of the door frame, each leaf comprising a pair of sections foldable on an axis parallel to the axes of the hinges, vertically reciprocablelocking bolts mounted on each section adapted to engage the door frame and lock the sections in closed position, means accessible from the outside of the container for operating the bolts of one of the center sections and means accessible only from the inside of the container for operating the bolts of the remaining sections.

' 2. A sheet metal container of the kind described having a door opening defined by metal bars forming the top, bottom and sides of the door frame, a double door hinged tothe sides of the door frame on vertical axes, eachv sides thereof, means for locking the lever, and means for operating the bolts of the remainthereof to form a flange, and vertically recip-l rocable locking bolts housed in said sections and projecting through the end walls thereof for engagement with the door frame.

4. A sheet metal container of the kind described having a side door opening defined. by angle bars constituting the sides, top and bottom of the door frame, a double door composed of two leaves respectively hinged to the sides of said frame, each leaf being composed of side and center sections hinged together so that the center section can be turned outwardly on an axis parallel to the hinge axis so as to lie against the side section, each section being constructed of an inner member of rectangular shallow trough-like form completely bordered by a flange and an outer rectangular sheet having its edges bent over .hin

said flange, vertically reciprocable locking bolts housed within each section and projecting through the end walls of the sections for engagement with the door frame, a lever on the outside of one of the center sections and operabl connected to the bolts housed therein, the bolts of the remaining sections haying lateral arms projecting through slots in the side walls of the sections so as to operable only from the inside of the container. 5. A container of the kind described havin a door opening, a double door composed o two leaves hinged respectively to the sides of the door opening, each leaf compr1s1ng a pair of sections foldable on an axis parallel to the axis, the two sections which. are hinged to t e door frame being substantially wider than their companion sections and all of the sections being rotatable outwardly so that the inner faces of the narrower sections can be brought against the sides of the container.

- 6. A container of the kind described havin a door opening defined by top, bottom and si e bars constituting the door frame, a double door composed of two leaves, hinges by which the leaves areswung on the door frame, each of said hinges cons1sting of two members secured respectively to the frame and leaf and a connecting member pivoted to said members on parallel axes, each of said leaves being composed of two sections foldable on an axis parallel to said axes, all of said sections being rotatable outwardly so that the leaves may be folded and then swung on said hinges tobring the inner faces of the center leaf sections against the side of the container.

7 A container of the kind described having a door opening defined by metal bars forming the top, bottom and sides of the door frame, a double door composed of two leaves,

hinges by which the leaves are swung on the sides of the door frame, each of said hinges consisting of two members secured respectively to the frame and leaf and a connecting member pivoted to said members on parallel spaced axes, the leaf sections which are of the door frame, a double door com osed of two leaves respectively hinged to t e sides of said frame, each leaf comprising a pair of sections foldable on an axis parallel to the hinge axis, each section being of hollow sheet metal construction and having an elongated rectangular form presenting a plane inner face and a bordering flange substantially coplanar with its outer face, locking bolts for the sections reciprocably mounted on the interior thereof and projecting through the end Walls of the sections for engagement with the door frame, a shaft projecting through the outer face of one of the center sections and operably connected to the locking bolts of sa1d section, an arm secured to the outer end of said shaft, means for operating said arm when the bolts of said center section are in locking position, the bolts of the remaining sections having laterally extending arms projecting through slots in the side walls of the sections and accessible only after said center section has been opened.

9. In a door for containers of the kind described, a door section of elongated rectangular form having a hollow sheet metal construction presenting a plane inner face and a bordering flange substantially coplanar with its outer face, upper and lower reciprocable bolts mounted on the interior of said section rojecting respectively tlirou h the top and ottom walls of said section or engagement with the door frame, a side wall of said section being formed with slots and said bolts having lateral arms extending through said slots, the latter presenting seats upgn which said arms may rest to support the' lts.

, 10. In a door for containers of the kind described, a door section of elongated rectangular form having a hollow sheet metal construction presenting a plane inner face ils and a bordering flange substantially coplanar with its outer face, a hinge member on the outer face of saidsection adjacent an edge thereof, a reinforcing guide on the inte-rior of said section, fastening devices passing through the hinge member and said guide, and a locking bolt reciprocable and rotatable in said guide projecting through an end wall thereof for engagement with the door frame and having a laterally projecting arm extending through a slot in a side Wall of said section.

' lapped edges extending along the inner face of one of the side flanges of asection, a metal backing strip secured over said edges by fastening bolts passing through the flange, edges and strip, said strip being bent inwardly away from the flange, and an angle .bar secured to the inner face of the adjacent flange ofthe companion section adapted to be pressed against the rubber strip when the door is closed.

, 12. In a door for containers of the kind described, a door section of elongated rectangular form having a hollow sheet metal construction presenting a plane inner face and a bordering flange substantially coplanar with its outer face, a soft rubber strip folded and having itsoverlapped edges extending throughout the length of one of the side flanges of the section on the inner face thereof, a metal backing strip .over said edges, fastening devices passing through said flange, edges and strip, said backing strip being bent inwardly away from the flange.

13. In a door for containers of the kind described, a door section of elongated rectangular form having a hollow sheet metal construction presenting a plane inner face and a bordering flange substantially coplanar with its outer face, a resilient packing' strip extending throughoutthe length of one of the s1de flanges of the section on the inner face thereof, a backing strip for said packing strip, and fastening devices passing through said flange and strips, said backing strip being bent inwardly away from the flange along a longitudinal line.

14. In a sheet metal container of the kind described having a side door opening defined by metal bars forming the top, bottom and sides of the door frame, a double door composed of two leaves respectively hinged to the sides of said frame, each leaf comprising a plurality of sections foldable on axes parallel to the hinge axes, each section having a vertically elongated rectangular form and being of hollow sheet metal construction presenting a plane inner face and a bordering flange substantially coplanar with its outer face, and yieldable packing strips secured to the inner faces of the top flanges of said sections adapted to cooperate with the top frame bar to form a water tight joint.

' 15. In a sheet metal container of the kind described having a side door opening defined the top and lateral flanges of the sections for effecting weatherproof joints when the door is closed.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

. FREDERICK K. FILDES. 

